The Children
by Dazzlious
Summary: The war that rocked the wizarding world has long been over and everyone has moved on. A surprise encounter between Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger brings to light secrets that have long been hidden. Rated T for swearing.


_I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other characters from JK Rowling's fantastic books or films, I'm just borrowing and playing with them for a little while and get no monetary reward for doing so._

**A/N: This could be part of a larger story, although I'm not sure that I'll ever get round to writing it so I've decided to release this as a one you for reading.**

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"Does my father know?" Draco asked, looking at Hermione and the child standing with her, who had to be her daughter. He'd been surprised to run into his old school acquaintance after having had no contact for so many years. He glanced at the pram that Hermione was holding.

Hermione bristled defensively. "No. I wasn't likely to tell him, was I? How do you think he'd react to finding out that he's become a father again?"

Draco shook his head. "I haven't seen him since he went away, so I've no idea where his sympathies lie these days. But the fact that you and he...." His voice trailed off, the sneer expressing his feelings more than words could.

Hermione flushed but didn't respond to Draco's taunt. She stroked the top of her daughter's blonde head.

"Go and play on the swings, Sophie. I just need to talk to my friend. I'll come and find you soon."

Sophie nodded and happily skipped away to play on the swings as Hermione looked at Draco, waiting for him to say something.

"Two of them?" Draco leant over slightly to look at the baby who was sleeping peacefully under a soft white blanket.

Hermione nodded. "Hattie was born eight months ago."

"And he really has no idea?" Draco said in astonishment. "You've never said anything?"

"No." This was said a little too quickly and forcefully. She shrugged and sighed, then added, "Why would I tell him something that's going to hurt him?"

Draco gave a scowl. "Hurt him? You _use_ my father to sire your bastard half-blood children and then worry about upsetting him?"

Hermione glared angrily at Draco for a moment, points of red on her cheeks as she tried to calm down. The pram moving a little more jerkily was the only clue that she was having trouble.

"That isn't what happened," she said quietly. "At least not with Sophie. She was an accident, but she's been a godsend to me." She bit her lip as if debating what to say. "Hattie _was_ planned, at least as much as I could plan anything considering the circumstances."

"I have to admit to being rather surprised that you'd want my father to give you children, Hermione," Draco said airily, "considering everything that happened."

Hermione shrugged again. "Our relationship was always a bit strange," she said. "I couldn't help but be affected by him, by the things that happened between us."

"But the things he did...."

"Oh, I know, he did some terrible things," Hermione said. "But in his twisted way it was because he wanted me to care for him."

Draco snorted. "My father wanted affection from a Mudblood? I don't think so."

Biting back the urge to postulate that it was the only affection Lucius would have had with a family as cold as his, Hermione replied, "It's true, whether you choose to believe it or not."

"So how did you end up with the kids?" Draco asked. "I mean, he's been away for sixteen years now. What on earth possessed you to go and see him?"

"Shall we go and sit on the bench over there?" Hermione asked as she indicated an empty bench near the swings. Without waiting for an answer from Draco she began to push the pram towards it, looking over at Sophie, who was in conversation with another girl who was also swinging. Draco followed her and sat down beside her once she'd moved the pram into position.

"Why did you go and see my father, Hermione?" Draco asked.

"I told you there was something between us. The things he did…well…to be honest, I don't think I was particularly sane for the first few years after the end of the war. I found it hard to readjust...to my freedom...to relationships...."

"So you went to see him?"

Hermione gave a small shrug. "Not at first. I was happy to be away from him, free at last. But then I realised something was missing, and by then it had been almost five years. I was sure he'd had time to change, and I felt sorry for him being stuck away in that place with no visitors."

"How did you know he had no visitors?" Draco asked.

Hermione gave a wistful smile. "He wrote to me. Asked me to go and see him. Said he was sorry for everything that had happened. He told me he hadn't seen anyone but the guards since the day he'd been taken to Azkaban."

Draco snorted. "And you believed him?"

"Of course. If there's one good thing I can say about your dad, Draco, it's that he's never lied to me." She looked fiercely at the man next to her as if daring him to contradict her.

Draco shrugged. "Well, it could be true. I mean, I've never been to see him and mother certainly hasn't. She was pleased to be rid of him at last." His voice sounded dismissive.

"He misses you," Hermione said quietly. "He always mentions you."

"Always? How many times have you seen him, then?" Draco asked, trying not to sound too interested.

"Three since he's been in Azkaban," Hermione answered. "Although I did go and see him the day he was taken away."

"Why?" Draco scowled again. "That was only a few months after he'd done—he'd—imprisoned you. Why did you go back to see him?"

Hermione gave a small shake of her head. "Dependency, I think," she said honestly. "As I said, I was pretty fucked up by what I'd been through. And no one really understood it. Harry and Ron most certainly didn't."

"Ah yes, Potty and the Weasel. How are they? You know, I thought you and the Weasel would end up married for sure. Didn't he want you after he found out you'd been fucking my father?" Draco asked maliciously.

Hermione looked unhappy. "You make it sound like I had a choice in the matter."

Draco looked at her intently. "Didn't you? You must have done something to make my father renege on his lifelong ideals. All those years he lectured me on the evils of filthy Mudbloods, and suddenly he was fucking you. You must have done something."

Hermione looked shocked at the vehemence of Draco's tone. She shook her head unhappily. "I did nothing, Draco. You must know that deep down. Your father's behaviour was as inexplicable to me as it was to you. And whatever it was that we did, it wasn't willingly on my part. I just had an overwhelming desire to stay alive."

"Well, whatever it might have been then, it was certainly your choice to do it since he's been away. He's got no wand, so he can't have forced you. And you've got two daughters out of it."

Hermione looked pained. "Since you weren't there for the last days of the war you have no idea what I went through," she said accusingly. "Don't you dare to presume to judge me because of what you think you know. You have no idea what I suffered."

"So why did you go back to him if it was so bad?"

"Because I can't get away," Hermione admitted sadly. "You're right, to an extent, about Ron. Although he and Harry tried to understand what I'd been through, I don't think he could quite manage to believe it wasn't my fault—that I hadn't somehow seduced your father." She gave a bitter laugh. "The whole time I was captive I was dreaming of being with Ron, my protector, my rock, and when I finally got back to him he treated me as if I was the enemy. Even the cuts and bruises didn't change his view."

"But what about Potter? Surely he talked to him?"

"Yes. But Ron is very stubborn when he sets his mind to something and he wasn't budging. We never could overcome that hurdle, so we gradually grew apart. And then he was reunited with Lavender and that was the end of things. Harry and Ginny got married; even Neville and Luna were in stable relationships. And then there was me, all alone and not very happy, to be honest. I had my work, but it wasn't enough. I needed something more."

"So you decided to use my father to have a child," Draco said, a touch bitterly.

"No. Not at all. I was trying to put the past behind me, trying to make something of my life, when I got the letter from your dad. Stupidly I thought that maybe if I went to see him it would exorcise the ghosts, lay to rest whatever it was that was stopping me from having a happy relationship with anyone else."

"And instead you fucked him again."

Hermione sighed. "Yes. Although it wasn't quite so straightforward. But yes, I did end up having sex with him—and Sophie was the result. Totally unplanned, I assure you. The contraceptive charm failed."

"Yours or his?" Draco asked sharply.

"What? Oh...mine. I've no idea why, though. It's never failed before. Anyway, at first I was horrified, obviously, under the circumstances. But once I calmed down I began to realise that this might be my only chance for children. After all, how could I have a baby when I couldn't even stay in a relationship? And Lucius need never know. He was going to be in prison for at least another fifteen years—"

"But what right did you have to keep the baby without telling my father you were pregnant?" Draco cut in angrily. "Imagine how he'll feel when he finds he's sired _two_ half-blood children. You were wrong to keep the first from him; I can't believe you went back a second time."

"I'd never intended to have children," Hermione said. "When I became pregnant I soon realised that I couldn't in all good conscience get rid of a perfectly healthy baby just because I hadn't performed the contraceptive charm properly. It wasn't fair to the poor thing to lose its life because I'd been careless, regardless of who the father was."

Draco looked as if he was about to speak but Hermione held up a hand to stop him.

"When Sophie was born I convinced myself I'd done the right thing in having her. She was so beautiful, and she gave my life that extra something I so badly needed. There was no point in telling your dad; I wasn't intending to see him again anyway—and as you've so kindly pointed out, there was a possibility that he wouldn't have been best pleased to find he was a father to a half-blood child. So I just got on with my life."

"Until you decided you wanted another child. Took you long enough to decide that, didn't it?"

"Hattie came later...much later. I received another letter from your dad just before the tenth anniversary of his incarceration."

"And you went to see him?" Draco looked incredulous. "And you didn't tell him about Sophie?"

Hermione nodded. "Five years and a child had given me a new perspective on things. How could I refuse to visit him when I was his only visitor?"

"And you fucked him again? You must have known what he wanted."

Hermione gave a small bark of a laugh. "Of course I knew. I mean, he was hardly wanting a game of chess, was he? And being the mother of a Malfoy child hadn't exactly raised my prospects any in the romance stakes. So, yes, I wanted a shag just as much as he did—dependency again, I suppose. But this time I was determined not to have an accident. I used the strongest charm I could find, added another to be on the safe side, and took the Muggle pill in case that worked too. One child I could cope with alone, but two was a no-no, especially two fathered by Lucius.

"And then it was done. The charms had worked and we were both temporarily sated, so I returned to my life—back to Sophie and the work that I found so much more rewarding now I wasn't alone. And I put Lucius out of my mind once more."

"So when did you decide you wanted another child?" Draco said.

"Do you have children?" Hermione asked.

Draco nodded. "One. A son, Scorpius. He's nine."

"And a total Malfoy, no doubt?" Hermione said with a small grin.

Draco laughed ruefully. "He does bear the family resemblance," he admitted. "As does your Sophie. You can certainly tell she's a Malfoy."

Hermione nodded. "She's a lovely girl and very intelligent, although of course I'd expect nothing less." She ignored the look Draco gave her at this comment.

"Anyway, everything was happy in my life until one day I realised my baby was growing up. Her magic had started to show itself more strongly and it was clear that soon she'd be going away to Hogwarts; she goes in September. The idea of being left alone again was unbearable. The feeling of desolation that spread through me like a flood at the idea of Sophie going away to school needed to be stemmed.

"At first I considered not sending her to school, but of course that wouldn't have been in Sophie's best interest. And then the opportunity presented itself. Your dad wrote again, a jokey letter, asking when I was going to visit for our 'anniversary shag', as he put it—after all, he was now on fifteen years. Suddenly the answer was clear. If I was lucky I could have another baby, another child to look after while Sophie was away from me."

"So you went back a third time." Draco shook his head again. "My father must be doing something right to keep you going back."

"Your dad is an excellent lover, actually," Hermione said, a flush of pink reaching her cheeks as she appeared to think about it. "And I think enough time has passed now to forget what happened in the beginning."

"I don't need to know about my father's sexual skills, thanks," Draco muttered. "So you went with the express intention of getting pregnant?"

"Well, intention is too strong a word, I think," Hermione said. "After all, it wasn't certain that it would happen. All I did was to not use contraception and see what happened."

"Didn't he ask whether you were using any? Or do his own charm?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. I'm not sure your father was interested or concerned. Certainly it would appear that his affection for me hasn't changed in the last fifteen-odd years."

Draco scowled. "His affection? If he's really so affectionate towards you why don't you tell him about the girls? Surely such an affectionate man would i_love_/i to have children with you."

Hermione looked at Draco for a moment. "That's the point," she said simply. "And that's why I didn't want to hurt him by telling him."

Draco looked confused.

"I don't think he'd have been surprised to find out I was pregnant either time," she admitted. "But he's locked away where he can't see them. How do you think he'd feel knowing he has two daughters he can't ever see? How much worse for him knowing about his children and not being able to see them than not even knowing they exist?"

"But at least he could see photographs, have some idea that they exist—although of course there's still the problem of their blood status."

"As I said, I don't think Lucius would mind that. He's not the person you remember—not the man he was when he abducted me. But having made the initial choice not to tell him about Sophie, how could I bring it up ten years later? And I couldn't suggest another child without mentioning the first."

"And so you've left him in the dark all this time?" Draco said. "Don't you feel guilty about not telling him?"

Hermione sighed. "Of course I do sometimes. But then I think about what difference it would have made and I'm not sure it would have made any. Certainly nothing better would have come of telling him."

"So I have two sisters," Draco said.

"Half-sisters," Hermione corrected. "And you're welcome to get to know them better if you want. I'm sure they'd love to get to know you, although obviously Hattie is a little young right now."

"Are you ever going to tell him?" Draco asked curiously.

Hermione shrugged. "I'll have no choice eventually," she said. "I can't believe they'll keep him in prison much longer. He's been a model prisoner and I think he truly does regret most if not all of the things he did as a Death Eater. And of course his twenty years will be up. He'll be eligible for parole. When he gets out I'll either have to take the girls and disappear off the face of the earth or tell him the truth."

Draco looked at Hermione gravely for a moment as if weighing things up.

"I know my father," he said finally. "I think you should tell him before he's released, give him a chance to come to terms with it before he finds out of his own accord. However you might think he feels about you, you won't want to feel his wrath if he finds out you've been deceiving him all this time."

"I'm not deceiving him," Hermione asserted. "I haven't told him I don't _have_ children, I've just omitted to tell him that I do and that he's the father."

"A moot point, I think," Draco said sagely. "Knowing my father and his temper, he'll assume you did it with the intention of hurting him."

He looked across at where Sophie was now playing on the roundabout with several other children, then back at Hermione. "You should tell him for Sophie and Hattie's sake too. They deserve to have a father. Does Sophie never ask about him?"

"No. She did once a long time ago, but I told her he had to go away. Now she never asks. I don't know whether she thinks about it or not."

"You need to tell the truth, Hermione," Draco said, looking at her intently.

"Are you going to go and see him?" Hermione asked, feeling uncomfortable. "He'd love to see you."

"I might. Perhaps the time has come to bury the hatchet."

Hermione smiled at Draco. "Yes. It's time to let the past rest in peace."

Sophie had alighted from the roundabout and was making her way unsteadily towards the couple. She looked a little dizzy. Draco stood up and held out his hand to Hermione.

"I'll let you get back to your daughter. It was good to talk to you again, Hermione. I really hope you'll make the right decision about my father."

Hermione smiled as she shook Draco's hand. "Go see him, please. It really would make him happy."

Draco gave a small nod. He dropped Hermione's hand as Sophie reached them.

"Can we have an ice cream, Mummy?" she asked hopefully as she bent her head over the pram to look at her still slumbering sister.

"Come away, don't wake your sister," Hermione said with mock sternness. She rose off the bench. "We're off to get ice cream," she told Draco. "You're welcome to come with us if you want."

Draco shook his head with a smile. "Some other time, perhaps," he said. "I need to get moving or Astoria will wonder where I've got to."

"Astoria Greengrass?" Hermione asked in surprise.

Draco grinned. "I know, you thought I'd saddled myself with Pansy Parkinson, didn't you?" He laughed. "I know we never got on at school, Hermione, but I really wasn't that thick. I think we all changed a bit after the war, and I realised I just wanted a quiet life where I didn't have to live down the family name all the time. I met Astoria and discovered she was everything I'd always been looking for. Our marriage is nothing like my parents' was—we actually really do love each other."

"But just the one child?" Hermione said quizzically.

"Yes. We'd have liked more, but conceiving was rather more difficult for us than it was for you." Draco's voice was a touch wistful. "Astoria had a very bad pregnancy and we didn't want to risk another."

"I'm really sorry, Draco," Hermione said sincerely.

"We're happy with Scorpius," Draco said. "He's a good lad and a clever one, too. He might just be the first Malfoy to get into Ravenclaw—although Merlin knows what his grandparents would say about that." He gave a small laugh. "Anyway I've got two small sisters now, so my family has grown. We'll have to get together sometime with Scorpius and Astoria—have a proper family reunion."

"That sounds good," Hermione said, "although I'm still not sure about telling your dad just yet."

"Just think about it," Draco encouraged.

Sophie tugged at Hermione's sleeve. "Can we go now, Mummy? I'm starving and I need an ice cream."

Laughingly Hermione pushed the pram away from the bench. "Come on then, pickle, let's get that ice cream. We'll see you soon, Draco."

Draco watched as Hermione and her daughter, both pushing the pram, walked across the park in the late afternoon sunshine.


End file.
